


The Other Side

by cantfuckinbelievethis (orphan_account)



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Heavy Angst, Kid characters, M/M, mentions and references to child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 02:29:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12546804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/cantfuckinbelievethis
Summary: In which Mickey finds out not everyone's home is like his.





	The Other Side

**Author's Note:**

> I've been looking to write this one for a while - and I'm sorry for it, because it's so sad, but I also think I needed to write it 
> 
> Tumblr: cantfuckinbelievethis

Fiona smiled down at her brother and his best friend as they did their finger-painting. It took a long time to convince Mickey to come over for a sleepover, but the seven-year-old had finally agreed, and Ian looked so happy.   
  
    When Mickey first arrived, no luggage and dirty from head to toe, it had been awkward for him. He had shuffled in, head down and cheeks red. Ian had blabbered on to him, taking up upstairs to show him his room and then bringing him back down to where Fiona was washing dishes and asked him what he wanted to do. The kid had shrugged and mumbled something incoherent, but immediately raised his head in shock when Fiona suggested finger-painting.   
  
    Despite being such a messy-looking kid, Mickey was taking extra care not to get the paint anywhere but on the page, looking shocked at Ian, who was pretty much getting it in his hair at this point. Fiona laughed a little to herself as Ian swung his hand up and tried to get paint on Mickey’s face. Turning around to continue the dishes, she jumped at a smashing sound. She quickly spun around again — knowing broken glass and kids were not a good mix. Ian’s arms were frozen in the air and the glass they had been using to wash their fingers in was now on the ground in pieces.   
  
    ‘Ian!’ Fiona sighed. ‘Did you knock the glass over swinging your arms around like that?’   
  
    ‘I broke it!’ Mickey exclaimed, jumping up and standing slightly in front of Ian. ‘It’s my fault. I pushed Ian and he hit it, and it broke.’ Only now did Fiona notice the kid was pretty much trembling, face going red as tears welled up. ‘I broke it. It’s my fault.’   
  
    ‘But, Mick—’ Ian tried to argue, but Fiona knew they just needed to stop the entire thing now.   
  
    ‘Okay,’ Fiona said softly, reaching a hand out and touching Mickey’s shoulder gently, who tensed up at the contact. ‘It’s okay, sweetface.’ Looking at Ian, she asked, ‘Will you please help me clean it up, Ian?’   
  
    Ian frowned, looking at his best friend in concern before nodding and grabbing some paper towels to clean up the water. He handed it to Fiona before heading over to Mickey, who was still shaking a little, not taking his eyes off Fiona. Ian touched Mickey’s shoulder, and he just flinched away, eyes looking around wildly. Shrugging Ian away, Mickey raced into the toilet and slammed the door behind him. Ian and Fiona both looked at each other as they heard Mickey’s muffled crying.   
  
    ‘Fi,’ Ian whimpered. ‘What happened?’   
  
    Fiona smiled soothingly, rubbing Ian’s shoulder. ‘I think it’s getting a little late, so we should be getting into our PJs about now, huh? How about you go up and get Mickey’s bed for the night ready, and I’ll talk to him?’   
  
    Ian pressed his lips together, as if he wanted to say something, but wasn’t allowed. Finally, he blurted out, ‘Mickey told me that…When I went over to his house…his dad has a lot of rules. I didn’t break any, but Mick said that sometimes his dad gets mad. Maybe he was scared you would get mad.’   
  
    ‘I would never hurt Mickey, sweetface,’ Fiona soothed Ian, who was clearly concerned. Her chest ached as she realised the truth of what was going on, but she put on a brave face for her little brother. ‘I’ll just talk to him, and we will get it all sorted, right? Mickey can stay with us a few more days if it’ll make you both feel better.’   
  
    Ian smiled slightly and nodded before racing upstairs.   
  
    Fiona let out a deep sigh before eyeing the toilet door, really unsure about how to go about this. Slowly, she approached the door and knocked gently. There was a sniffing sound, and then the door slowly opened.   
  
    Mickey poked one eye out and said, ‘I’m sorry.’   
  
    ‘Don’t be,’ Fiona said, squatting down to his level. ‘Do you wanna come out, Mickey? I wanna talk to you about something.’ When he hesitated, she quickly added, ‘You’re not in trouble.’   
  
    Mickey pushed the door the rest of the way open and took a step forward. Fiona headed over to the table and sat down, gesturing for Mickey to sit with her.   
  
    ‘Your dad has a lot of strict rules, huh?’ Fiona prompted.   
  
    Mickey scowled. ‘I told Ian not to tell.’   
  
    ‘He just wanted to make sure I knew why you might be upset, sweetie,’ Fiona assured him. ‘He didn’t want me thinking you didn’t like me, or you were angry. Why did you tell me that you broke the glass?’   
  
    Mickey looked down, mumbling to himself. When he looked up and saw Fiona’s expectant face, he repeated louder, ‘I didn’t want Ian to get punished.’   
  
    ‘Well, around here, our punishments are usually no TV for a while, or maybe a short time out,’ Fiona explained. ‘Not really anything you need to protect someone from.’   
  
    ‘I know,’ Mickey muttered bitterly. ‘Now I know.’   
  
    ‘Is it different at your house?’   
  
    ‘Yes.’   
  
    ‘How?’   
  
    ‘When Dad punishes us, he…smacks us.’   
  
    ‘Like a smack-bottom?’   
  
    Mickey shook his head.   
  
    ‘Worse?’ Fiona asked, eyebrows furrowing in concern.   
  
    Mickey blinked up at her, clearly not wanting to say.   
  
    ‘You can tell me anything, Mickey,’ Fiona promised.   
  
    ‘Worse,’ Mickey agreed, and Fiona decided she had heard enough, but she still asked.   
  
    ‘Is there anything else you want to say, or do you just wanna join Ian upstairs?’   
  
    ‘I wanna go upstairs,’ Mickey sniffed.   
  
    ‘Okay. Well, tomorrow I’ll go and get Mandy and Iggy, and we can have a big sleepover here for a few days — how does that sound?’   
  
    Mickey smiled brightly for the first time since the glass had hit the ground. ‘Fun!’   
  
    Fiona grinned back. ‘Alright, how about you go help Ian with setting up your bed now? I bet he’s making a mess of it.’   
  
    The seven-year-old giggled before running upstairs.   
  
    Letting out a deep sigh and feeling tears prick behind her eyes, Fiona rested her head in her hands for a moment. She let herself have a few deep breaths before picking up the phone. There were only a few minutes on it, but she knew she had to call right now.   
  
    ‘The fuck you want?’ Iggy answered, sounding like he just woke up.   
  
    ‘Iggy. We have to talk,’ Fiona ordered. ‘And if we don’t do something about this, I’m calling CPS. This has to stop.’   
  
    Iggy sniffed as if he was properly waking himself up. ‘I’m coming over.’


End file.
